The major function of absorbent articles, such as disposable diapers and adult incontinent briefs, is to absorb and contain body exudates. Such articles are thus intended to prevent body exudates from soiling, wetting, or otherwise contaminating clothing or other articles, such as bedding, that come in contact with the wearer. One common mode of failure for such products occurs when body exudates leak out of the gaps between the article and the wearer's leg to adjacent clothing because they are not immediately absorbed within the article. For example, in the absence of a cuff or other barrier structure, urine may leak out of the side of the article. Additionally, loose fecal material that is not easily absorbed by the absorbent article tends to “float” on the liquid-receiving surface and work its way past the legs of the wearer.
Contemporary absorbent articles have a topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core, a barrier cuff and a gasketing cuff. The gasketing cuff proves effective generally to prevent wicking and overflow from the fluid laden article to clothing contacting the edges of the article in that the gasketing cuff presents a fluid impermeable barrier between the edge of the article and the contacting clothing, and in addition, provides a gasketing action about the legs of the wearer. The barrier cuff proves effective generally to inhibit loose fecal material or gushes of urine or liquids from soiling the wearer's clothing. The barrier cuff restrains the free flow of this material and provides a structure to hold such material within the article. The barrier cuff structure typically includes at least a proximal edge that is joined to the topsheet or other absorbent article structure and a distal edge that is not secured to any other element, at least in the crotch region of the diaper, so that it may be spaced away from the topsheet.
Each barrier cuff further typically includes a spacing elastic member to elasticize the barrier cuff. The spacing elastic member is attached to the barrier cuff in at least the crotch region of the absorbent article and is selected so that it is placed in tension when the article is worn. The tension force in the spacing elastic member biases the barrier cuff distal end away from the topsheet, thereby to form a channel for receiving and retaining exudates.
While a barrier cuff is typically only needed in the crotch region, production methods may require the barrier cuff to extend along the entire longitudinal length (also known as the machine direction) of the absorbent article. Absorbent articles such as diapers are typically formed from multiple webs of material that are joined together and subsequently separated from the webs. Accordingly, structures such as barrier cuffs preferably extend along the entire longitudinal length of the article to facilitate manufacture. To improve comfort and fit, the ends of each barrier cuff are joined to the article structure (such as the topsheet) to form front and rear closure zones, which are located in the front and rear waist regions, respectively.
While barrier cuffs are largely effective for retaining floating exudates within the crotch region of the absorbent article, it has been found that conventional barrier cuffs contribute to sagging of the article when worn, particularly in the front waist region.